Anyone starting a business or professional activity in Italy soon discovers that much of the country’s bureaucracy operates through a handful of digital tools. SPID, PEC and digital identity are the keys without which it is impossible to access public portals, open a VAT number or issue invoices. Let us examine what they are for, how foreign nationals can obtain them and the correct order in which to activate them.
SPID, PEC and digital identity: what they are used for in Italy
For anyone relocating to Italy, the digital dimension of bureaucracy is not a detail but an essential gateway. It applies to the professional and the entrepreneur, who without these keys cannot open a VAT number or issue an invoice, but also to the pensioner and the real estate investor, who through the same tools access healthcare, their social security position and the tax management of property.
Three tools, in particular, form the administrative identity of anyone operating in the country: SPID, PEC and the broader concept of digital identity, which also includes the Electronic Identity Card (Carta d’Identità Elettronica, CIE).
- SPID (Public Digital Identity System) is the single digital key used to verify identity online and securely access the services of public authorities and participating private organisations.
- PEC (Certified Electronic Mail) is the email address that gives legal value to communications, equivalent to registered mail, and forms the core of what is known as the digital domicile.
- Digital identity is the broader concept encompassing the systems through which the State certifies who we are in the digital environment. Alongside SPID stands the Electronic Identity Card, the only physical and digital identity document officially certified by the Italian State.
For professionals, these tools are not interchangeable but complementary. SPID or the CIE allows access to online portals, while PEC enables formal communication with public authorities, clients and professional bodies.
This is particularly relevant for foreign nationals who intend to establish themselves and generate income in Italy because, without these tools, many administrative procedures, from opening a VAT number to electronic invoicing, simply cannot begin. Understanding from the outset the purpose of each instrument allows them to be activated in the correct order and prevents delays when first accessing a public portal, perhaps shortly before a tax or social security deadline.
How foreign nationals can obtain SPID
Obtaining SPID as a foreign national follows the same process applicable to Italian citizens, with a few additional considerations regarding documentation.
Applicants need a valid Italian identity document, an Italian tax code card, an email address and a personal mobile phone number.
The Italian identity document is the aspect that deserves particular attention. A professional holding a valid residence permit may apply for an Italian identity card through the local municipality, which then provides access to SPID activation.
The Italian tax code (codice fiscale) is also essential. It is issued by the Italian Revenue Agency according to the procedure applicable to the individual’s circumstances. For nationals of non EU countries, it is often assigned during the residence permit process or through the Immigration One Stop Shop.
Once the required documents have been obtained, activation takes place through one of the digital identity providers accredited by the Agency for Digital Italy (AgID). Applicants may choose between various identification methods, some free of charge and others subject to payment. After verifying the applicant’s identity, the provider issues the login credentials.
It is worth noting that SPID offers three security levels. The first requires only a username and password. The second adds a temporary code sent via SMS or application. The third requires a physical authentication device for the most sensitive operations.
For most professional requirements, the second level is sufficient and is the level required by the main tax and social security portals.
Activating SPID in advance helps avoid discovering at the last moment that the necessary credentials for accessing a service are missing.
PEC: when it is mandatory
PEC deserves separate consideration because, for professionals, it is often not merely a convenience but a legal obligation. Certified Electronic Mail is the address elected as a digital domicile and is valid for legally effective communications.
Italian legislation requires professionals registered with professional bodies and registers, as well as businesses, to register their digital domicile in the INI PEC database. Anyone starting a professional activity or incorporating a company in Italy must therefore obtain a PEC address and register it through the appropriate channels.
The situation differs for private individuals who do not carry out professional activities. They may register a digital domicile through INAD (the National Digital Domicile Index), but registration remains voluntary.
For professionals, the distinction is significant because PEC becomes the channel through which notifications, communications from professional bodies, invoices and legal documents are received in real time and without the risks associated with postal delivery.
The issue of PEC for foreign nationals in Italy is therefore directly linked to the nature of the activity being carried out. Freelancers and entrepreneurs cannot realistically operate without a certified email address, whereas individuals living in Italy without a VAT number may choose whether to activate one.
PEC can be obtained from a qualified provider and, once activated, may be registered as a digital domicile through the dedicated portal using SPID, the CIE or the National Services Card.
Completing this step at the beginning of a professional activity is a sensible choice because many official communications are now delivered exclusively through this channel.
Can digital identity be obtained without residence in Italy?
A recurring question among those who have not yet completed their relocation concerns the possibility of obtaining SPID without being resident in Italy.
The answer is yes. Municipal residence registration is not, in itself, a requirement for obtaining digital identity. What matters is possession of a valid Italian identity document and an Italian tax code, together with successful identity verification by the chosen provider.
Even individuals who are still living abroad may activate SPID, provided they meet these requirements. Those who do not yet possess a tax code card may request one from the Italian Revenue Agency, including through the relevant Italian consulate.
For remote identity verification, applicants must choose providers that offer this service. These can be identified through the dedicated information pages displaying icons indicating availability within the European Union or worldwide.
There is an important practical distinction between SPID and the Electronic Identity Card. The latter is issued by the municipality of residence or, for Italians living abroad, through the consulate. SPID, by contrast, is not dependent on municipal registration.
For professionals building their presence in Italy but who have not yet formalised residence, this means they can still begin digital administrative procedures by activating SPID and, if necessary, PEC while awaiting completion of residence registration.
This flexibility is particularly valuable because it avoids delaying the opening of a VAT number or initial interactions with public authorities simply because residence registration is still pending.
Once residence registration has been completed, it remains possible to apply for the Electronic Identity Card and use it alongside an already active SPID account, thereby benefiting from both access credentials.
Services that require SPID
Once activated, digital identity becomes the key to a growing number of services, and which of them truly matter depends on the profile of the person relocating. Through SPID, or alternatively the Electronic Identity Card, users access the Italian Revenue Agency portals for the personal tax file, income tax returns and payments, the INPS portals for contributions and benefits, the Electronic Health Record, the IO application for communications from public authorities and pagoPA for payments to public entities.
In our experience, the clients we assist through relocation use these tools very differently depending on their life plans. The self employed professional or VAT registered owner lives on the Revenue Agency and INPS portals, where income is declared, taxes and contributions are paid and electronic invoices are issued. The foreign pensioner who chooses Italy relies above all on the Electronic Health Record for healthcare, the IO app for communications and the social security portals for their pension. The real estate investor, finally, uses SPID to manage property taxes such as IMU through the tax file, to consult land registry records and to make payments via pagoPA.
The advantage common to every profile is unified access: separate credentials are not required for each administration, but a single digital identity valid across all participating portals in Italy and, through the European eIDAS framework, for certain services in other Union Member States as well. For this reason the initial activation, sometimes perceived as a tedious formality, is in reality an investment that pays off with every access.
As public administration continues its digital transformation, the services reachable only through SPID or the CIE keep growing, and holding second level credentials from the outset allows anyone settling in Italy, whether worker, pensioner or investor, to operate without interruption. Digital identity should therefore be regarded not as a mere formal requirement but as the everyday infrastructure on which one’s administrative life in the country rests.
Practical tips for activation
A few practical precautions can make the activation process considerably smoother.
- The first recommendation is to follow the correct sequence: first obtain the tax code, then the Italian identity document, followed by SPID and, for those carrying out professional activities, PEC. Skipping a step almost always results in delays.
- The second concerns the choice of digital identity provider. It is worth comparing the available identification methods and assessing whether a free option is sufficient or whether the speed of paid remote verification is worthwhile, especially for those who are still abroad.
- The third recommendation is to activate at least the second security level, as this is required by the tax and social security portals most frequently used by professionals.
Those starting a business or professional activity should also consider the Electronic Identity Card as a valuable complement to SPID, useful both as a travel document and as a physical identity document.
Once PEC has been obtained, it should be registered as a digital domicile and monitored regularly because legally significant communications and deadlines are delivered through it.
Finally, credentials and recovery codes should be stored carefully and never entrusted to unqualified third parties.
Approaching the activation process methodically, possibly with the assistance of a professional familiar with the Italian administrative system, transforms what many perceive as an obstacle into a solid foundation for building a professional activity in Italy, with the reassurance of being able to access every necessary service when required.
A well organised implementation of these tools also significantly reduces the risk of errors and missed deadlines during the first and most delicate months of activity.
